An event-driven simulator for multi-line metro systems and its application to Santiago de Chile metropolitan rail network

Metros are the principal means of public transportation in many of the world’s cities, and continue to grow in the face of rising demand. Expanding metro infrastructure is costly, however, and at a certain point becomes unsustainable. When this occurs the only feasible solution is to improve the train’s management system by using either offline approaches, such as pre-programming schedules which use historic information, or online approaches which employ system status information obtained during operation. A new planning or control system, be it on or off line, requires prior testing that usually involves conducting simulations. This paper presents the design and implementation of an event-driven dynamic simulator for multi-line metro systems, and its practical application for studying different operating strategies. The simulator is based on object-oriented programming and is capable of interacting with Matlab programs written by the user to design and evaluate real-time control strategies. This article describes the model upon which the simulator is based, presents the user interface, and demonstrates how to use the simulator for operating strategies evaluation in the Santiago de Chile multi-line metropolitan rail network.     

Segmentation and quantification of COVID-19 infections in CT using pulmonary vessels extraction and deep learning

Multimedia Tools and Applications - At the end of 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported pneumonia that started in Wuhan, China, as a global emergency problem. Researchers quickly...     

Water Disinfection Using Chitosan Microbeads With N-, C-, C-N/TiO2 By Photocatalysis Under Visible Light

Chitosan microbeads with C-doped TiO₂, N-doped TiO₂ and C,N-codoped TiO₂ were prepared to obtain photocatalysts with higher photocatalytic efficiency, active under visible light and easy to removed from aqueous medium. TiO₂ powders were synthesized by the sol–gel method and modified using glucose and ammonium nitrate as source of C and N, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), DRUV–Vis spectra and Raman techniques, were used to characterize the modified TiO₂ powders. The structural and physicochemical properties of the microbeads were analyzed by nitrogen physisorption, functional groups were identified by Fourier transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and microbeads were observed by optical microscopy. The microbeads photocatalytic efficiency under visible light was evaluated monitoring the E. coli growth-inhibition, determined by colony count analysis (CFU—colony forming units). Results showed effectiveness in all tested composites to inhibit E. coli growth in 24 h under visible light. Furthermore chitosan microbeads with C,N-codoped TiO₂ showed the best performance in the degradation test being the most effective composite to achieving 99.99% of E. coli growth inhibition in less than 4 h.

     

Fluorescence of 1,2-diaminoanthraquinone and its nitric oxide reaction product within macrophage cells

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in many biological processes. Aromatic ortho-diamine derivatives are commonly used in the fluorescence imaging of NO in living cells. ortho-diamino (o-diamino) compounds are believed to react with NO in an oxygenated medium leading to the formation of a triazole derivative. One such o-diamino compound, 1,2-diaminoanthraquinone (DAA), is a nontoxic probe for the detection of NO in living tissues and cells. The formation of the DAA triazole derivative (DAA-TZ) upon reaction of DAA with NO/O(2) within cells has not been demonstrated previously. The aim of this study was to confirm that DAA-TZ is the species formed intracellularly when DAA reacts with NO in the presence of oxygen. The chemical synthesis and characterisation of DAA-TZ was performed together with intracellular studies of DAA and DAA-TZ. Raw 264.7 macrophages were loaded with the DAA or DAA-TZ under conditions of no-stimulation or stimulation with interferon-γ and lipopolysaccharide to produce NO. Confocal microscopy was used to image the DAA-loaded macrophage cells. Analysis of the emission spectra allowed precise discrimination of the fluorescence of each species in the macrophage cells, and confirmed the identity of DAA-TZ as the intracellular reaction product between DAA and NO in the presence of oxygen.     

Iron and chromium doped perovskite (CaMO3 M = Ti,Zr) ceramic pigments,effect of mineralizer

Solid solutions Ca(D_xM_1?x)O₃ (M = Ti, Zr and D = Fe,Cr), have been studied as ceramic pigment in conventional ceramic glazes using 0.5 mol/mol of NH₄Cl as flux agent by solid state reaction and by ammonia coprecipitation route. Ca(Cr_xTi_1?x)O₃ compositions obtained without addition of NH₄Cl as mineralizer, produce pink color in glazes at low x but CaCrO₄ crystallizes when x increases, producing undesired green colors. The crystallization of chromates can be avoided using NH₄Cl as mineralizer, giving a complete solid solution that produce pink color in glazes at low x and dark blue shades at high x. Coprecipitated sample produce blue colors at low x and at low temperature than ceramic sample (1000 °C instead 1200 °C for CE sample). Cr⁴⁺ ion acts as red chromophore, but at higher x values (blue samples) Cr³⁺ ion entrance affects the color. Ca(Fe_xTi_1?x)O₃ system crystallizes perovskite CaTiO₃ and pseudobrookite Fe₂TiO₅ together with rutile as residual crystalline phase, glazed samples change from a yellow to a pink color associated to the increase of pseudobrookite with firing temperature. Ca(Fe_xTi_1?x)O₃ and Ca(Cr_xZr_1?x)O₃ systems crystallize perovskite CaZrO₃ and zirconia (ZrO₂) in both monoclinic and cubic polymorphs, but iron or chromium oxides are not detected in the powders. Coprecipitated sample stabilises cubic form. The solid solution is not reached completely in these samples and is not stable in glazes.     

Allelochemicals fromPilocarpus goudotianus leaves

The effect on germination, shoot, and root growth by bergapten, xanthotoxin, imperatorin, xanthyletin, xanthoxyletin, luvangetin, donatin and alloxanthoxyletol fromPilocarpus goudotianus leaves, onLactuca sativa var. nigra seedlings has been evaluated. A structure-activity correlation is discussed based on the bioassay results. Furanocoumarins appear to be the most active compounds in comparison with pyrano- and simple coumarins. The presence of an oxygenated function at C-8 decreases the germination effect in furano- and pyranocoumarins, while C-5 substituents do not cause significant changes on the activity.Part 2 in the series:Natural Product Models as Allelochemicals. For Part 1 see: Macíaset al. (1992).     

Short-term forecasting of electricity prices in the colombian electricity market

The restructuring of the electricity-generating industry from protected monopoly to an open competitive market has presented producers with a problem scheduling generation: finding the optimal bidding strategy to maximise their profits. In order to solve this scheduling problem, a reliable system capable of forecasting electricity prices is needed. This work evaluates the forecasting capabilities of several modelling techniques for the next-day-prices forecasting problem in the Colombian market, measured in USD/MWh. The models include exogenous variables such as reservoir levels and load demand. Results show that a segmentation of the prices into three intervals, based on load demand behaviour, contribute to an important standard deviation reduction. Regarding the models under analysis, Takagi?Sugeno?Kang models and ARMAX models identified by means of a Kalman filter perform the best forecasting, with an error rate below 6%.     

Effect of Dietary Vitamin E on Immune Responses of Calves

The effect of vitamin E on humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in calves was determined, and plasma vitamin E and immunological status of calves under normal herd management were studied. Twelve newborn calves were fed skimmed colostrum for 2 days and thereafter skimmed milk plus vitamin E-stripped lard and emulsifying agents. Six calves each orally received 0, and six each orally received 1 g of DL-α-tocopherol acetate daily. Rations were supplemented with trace minerals and vitamins A and D. Twenty calves were fed colostrum for 3 days and thereafter milk and dry feed. At 6 wk, mean plasma vitamin E concentrations (μg/100 ml) for groups were 71, 639, and 155, respectively; and mean serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase concentrations (IU/liter) were 320, 61, and 43, respectively. Mean serum immunoglobulins concentrations (mg/100 ml) were: Gl, 1079, 1168, and 1315; G2, 488, 562, and 432; A, 37, 53, and 85; M, 151, 118, and 110. Mean lymphocyte stimulation indexes were 76, 220, and 152, respectively. At 6 wk there were large but nonsignificant differences in mean indexes among groups.     

Coronary artery spasm in the denervated transplanted human heart: a clue to underlying mechanisms

The mechanism of coronary artery spasm has been poorly understood but there has been some suggestion that cardiac autonomic innervation may play an important role. We report coronary artery spasm in a 43 year old man two years after he had received a transplant. Provocative pharmacologic testing suggested functional denervation of the patient's heart. Thus, coronary artery spasm can occur in the transplanted, denervated human heart. Autonomic innervation of the heart is not essential in all cases of coronary spasm, and circulating catecholamines and/or metabolic of hormonal products may play an important role.